On arrival remove all packaging immediately

Strip off the lower foliage to just beneath the flower head

With a sharp knife, cut the bottom of the stems at a 45 degree angle (never ever hammer or crush them)

Fill clean buckets up with clean lukewarm (not hot) water and add flower food

Leave the roses to condition over night making sure they are not packed in too tightly

Before arranging, remove the gnarly outer petals by gently bending them backwards. This will tidy up the rose beautifully. (The outer petals are called 'Guard Petals' and are natures way of protecting the flower - these should always be removed before using - please see our video on this subject).

If any of the roses have 'necked' it's because there is an airlock in the stem and water cannot reach the flower head. Re-cut the rose and plunge into very hot (but not boiling) water for 10/15 minutes making sure the flower head is protected with a cloth. This should release any air locks - finally re-cut the stem again and place back in the cool water to recover and continue conditioning